News
Local

Fund for disasters created from fire fund

Thursday, December 1, 2016
4:40:16 EST PM

A 10-plex in Owen Sound damaged by fire on Aug. 10, 2015. Donald Wilson, 27, was sentenced to 12 years in prison today after earlier pleading guilty to 20 arson charges .The row housing has been torn down and a new residential building is under construction now.

A court has endorsed a United Way of Bruce Grey plan to use the remaining $77,000 in donations made to help victims of the Aug. 10. 2015 fires to now help victims of future disasters in Grey-Bruce.

That also was the wish of more than 95 per cent of 735 respondents to a poll of 1,000 donors of the original fire fund, the United Way reported in May.

Thursday the United Way announced the Supportive Assistance for Emergencies Fund (SAFE). Money in it will benefit local victims of "unexpected situations."

"We were so grateful for the generosity of the Bruce Grey community in supporting their neighbours after the fires," said Francesca Dobbyn, UWBG executive director in a news release. "With this new fund, we're able to channel that spirit of community to assist even more people when a disaster strikes."

Dobbyn said in an interview that the money won't be given directly to people, other than via gift cards for to meet immediate food needs, for example. Overall needs will first be assessed by Victim Services, which played a similar role in the aftermath of the Aug. 10 fires.

The United Way had to apply to court, and have the consent of the Public Guardian and Trustee, to use the surplus funds for something other than the purpose for which they were intended.

The Superior Court of Justice found it has become "impossible or impracticable to apply the remaining funds . . . in accordance with its original purposes," a copy of the order says.

Instead, it approved a new fund "To support and maintain persons displaced or left homeless in Bruce and Grey counties as a result of a natural or man-made disaster where the losses of such persons are not wholly or partially covered by insurance."

There's $77,000 left in the fund which reached almost $320,000 to support the more than 50 people affected by the early morning fires that left 15 households homeless.

The United Way of Bruce Grey itself took 15 per cent or more than $47,000 to fund administration for costs such as the mailing of tax receipts, credit card fees, bookkeeping and other expenses.

The United Way came up with the idea of creating a broader fund to help victims of other disasters. But the money was in legal limbo because of conflicting advice from two governing agencies.

The Canada Revenue Agency requires all donations to be used for a charitable purpose, defined by the CRA as "the relief of property, the advancement of education, or the advancement of religion," which is what the United Way has done by covering the losses of the fire victims. But the Office of the Public Guardian and Trustee stipulates all money raised for the fire victims is considered directed donations and must be used for its original purpose.

No one was seriously hurt despite the string of fires in Owen Sound, which forced many people from their beds. The worst hit buildings were a duplex along 4th Avenue East just north of 13th Street, the 10-plex at 14th Street East and three homes around the corner on 15th Street East, all rendered uninhabitable.

A fire marshal official estimated the total loss would reach at least $1 million. A man remains in custody facing charges related to the fires.